Ratchet-wrench



Patented July 7, 1891. v

(No Model.)

, J BERNER 'RATGHET WRENGH.

Mm W A Ww E E 5 5 E N w w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BERNER, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RATCH ET-WREN CH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 455,300, dated July *7, 1891.

Application filed October 23,1890. Serial No. 369,023. (No model.)

To all whom it 75mg concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN BERNER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my invention complete and in position for use. Fig, 2 is a similar view showing a change in the relative positions of the various parts under such use. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an edge view of the same.

Having reference particularly to the pro vision of aratchet-wh'eel A, with a centrallylocated peripheral dovetail groove to therein, and composed of two sections a M, with teeth a on their edges, the inner faces of which sections are beveled inwardly from such edges, forming the sides of said groove, and the section a has formed thereon on the same side as'the beveled portion, a central roundboss, (L to which is secured by the screws a the section a, such boss forming the base or bot tom of the groove a, in which latter and on said boss is adapted to move axially, the dovetail slide B, having its under side concaved correspondingly with the circumference of the boss a, such slide of course being placed in its proper position before the section a is secured to the boss, although, should it be found desirable to cast the wheel A of one piece, said slide would obtain entrance to said groove at the ends of the latter at either side of the notch or recess A in the edge of the wheel for the reception of the bolt-head C or nut. The upper part of the slide B terminates in a square plunger b, formed witha round elongated boss or projection 11, said plunger being adapted to slide in a square socket d in the handle or lever D, and said boss being encircled by a helical spring E, the lower end of the latter being secured in an opening therefor in the boss and the upper end being secured in a similar opening'in the socket or to the handle. The lower end of the handle D is formed with two oppositely-extending depending legs d d of a width equal to that of the wheel A, their extremities having formed thereon teeth (2 corresponding and normally in engagement with the teeth a of said wheel, such legs, on' theirjinner edges, being of a curvature corresponding with that of the upper edge of the slide B and normally resting nest-like, in close relation to its length being greater than the'width of said recess A. Obviously the shape of the slide B prevents its displacement accidentally from the groove a, and the spring E serves to draw the handle D downwardly toward such slide and to keep handle and slide in the proper relation, consequently maintaining the teeth (1 and a in engagement. WVhen, however, the handle D is thrust to the side, in order to get a new purchase on the wheel for the purpose of turning the latter, and, therefore, the bolt,in which case the boss to serves as a journal for the handle through the medium of the slide'B on said boss, the spring E will allow the legs (1' d to recede from the periphery of the wheel Asufficiently to allow the teeth of the legs to ride overthose of the Wheel without permitting of the complete detachment of the handle, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the handle is prevented from turning laterally by the square plunger registering with the similarly-shaped socket d, and after saidteeth have cleared each other said spring will bring the latter into engagement again with each other. Thus the spring E serves the double purpose of keeping the teeth normally in engagement and preventing the separation wholly of the handle from the other parts of the wrench, while the handle or level-D serves the double purpose of a lever and a ratchet.

The advantage of forming the notch A in the edge of the wheel A, instead of having a recess or opening in the center or face of the same, is that the wrench can be placed in proper relation with a bolt-head or nut in a space no larger than the depth of such head or nut, having access to the latter from the side thereof, ,whereas where the recess is in the face, as aforesaid, the wrench can only have access to the bolt-head or nut from the end thereof, thus requiring a space equal to the depth of the bolt-head or nut and the width of the wrench combined. The wheel A may, however, be provided in cases where it is desired to have the bolt-head or nut flush with the surface of the place in which is located the bolt or the likefor example, in screwing the nut on the end of a vehicle wheel axlewith a projection or boss on its side, as shown in dotted lines at A in Fig. 3, having therein a socket for reception of such nut or bolt-head.

In cases where more than one size of bolthead or nut is to be operated, the wrench can be double-ended, or with a wheel and its appurtenances at each end of the handle or lever, similarly to an S-wrench; or, again, a number of wheels with varying sizes of notches may be provided for each handle.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel having a notch or recess in its edge for reception of a bolt-head or nut, a ratchet, and a handle or lever journaled on said wheel, substantially as specified.

2. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a dovetail peripheral groove and a recess for reception of a bolt-head or nut, a ratchet, a dovetail slide in said groove, 'and a handle or lever connected to said slide, substantially as specified.

3. I11 a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a notch or recess in its edge for reception of a bolt-head or nut and a dovetail peripheral groove, a ratchet, a dovetail slide in said groove, and a handle or lever connected to said slide, substantially as specified.

4. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a dovetail peripheral groove and a recess for reception of a bolt-head or nut, a ratchet, a dovetail slide in said groove, a handle or lever, and a spring connection intermediate the latter and said slide, substantially as specified.

5. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a notch or recess in its edge for reception of a bolt-head or nut and a dovetail peripheral groove, aratchet, a dovetail slide in said groove, a handle or lever, and a spring connection intermediate the latter and said slide, substantially as specified.

6. I11 a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a peripheral groove and a recess for reception of a bolthead or nut, a slide in said groove, and a handle or lever provided at one end with teeth for engagement with said Wheel and connected to said slide, substantially as specified.

7. 111 a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a notch or recess in its edge for reception of a bolt-head or nut and a peripheral groove, a slide in said groove, and a handle or lever provided at one end with teeth for engagement with said wheel and connected to said slide, substan tially as specified.

8. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a recess for reception of a bolt-head or nut and a peripheral groove, a slide in said groove, a handle or lever provided at one end with teeth for engagement with said wheel, and a spring connection intermediate said slide and handle or lever, substantially as specified.

9. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a recess for reception of a bolt-head or nut and a dovetail peripheral groove, a dovetail slide in said groove, a handle or lever provided at one end with teeth for engagement with said wheel, and a spring connection intermediate said slide and handle, substantially as specitied.

10. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a notch or recess in its edge for reception of a bolt-head or nut and a dovetail peripheral groove, a dovetail slide in said groove, a handle or lever provided at one end with teeth for engagement with said wheel, and a spring connection intermediate said slide and handle, substantially as specified.

11. Ina ratchet-wreneh,the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a recess for reception of a bolt-head or nut and a peripheral groove, a handle or lever provided at one end with teeth for engagement with said wheel and having therein a socket adjacent to said end, a slide in said groove with a plunger-like projection in said socket, and a spring connected to the latter and the former, substantially as specified.

12. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a recess for reception of a bolt-head or nut and a dovetail peripheral groove, a handle or lever provided at one end with teeth for engagement with said wheel and having therein a socket adjacent to said end, a. dovetail slide in said groove with a plunger-like projection in said socket, and a spring connected to the latter and the former, substantially as specified.

3. In a ratchet-wrench, the combination of a ratchet-wheel provided with a recess for aspring connected to the latter and the forreoeption of a bolt-head or nut and a dove Iner, substantiallyas specified. 1'0 tail peripheral groove, a handle or lever pro- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in vided with oppositelydisposed depending presence of two Witnesses.

toothed legs for engagement with said wheel JOHN BERNER.

and having therein a socket intermediate WVitnesses:

said legs, a dovetail slide in said groove with R. DALE SPARHAWK,

a plunger-like projection in said socket, and 7M. H. POWELL. 

